World: Regional Trends: Forced displacement in West and Central Africa - June 2026

Countries: World, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan, Togo Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees Please refer to the attached file. Forced Displacement in West and Central Africa remains high despite increased returns, UNHCR calls for greater investment in solutions DAKAR, 11 June 2026 – UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, called for greater international investment in solutions for refugees in West and Central Africa, including support for voluntary return, reintegration and socio-economic inclusion, enabling displaced people to move beyond long-term assistance. Despite increasing refugee and internally displaced person (IDP) returns across the region, forced displacement remains at high levels, with nearly 20 million people forcibly displaced or stateless as of April 2026, according to the latest UNHCR West and Central Africa Regional Trends Report . While overall displacement has declined by 12 per cent compared to the end of 2024, this reduction is largely driven by returns and does not reflect a sustained easing of displacement pressures. Internal displacement continues to represent the majority of displacement in the region, with more than 14 million internally displaced persons. The number of refugees and asylum-seekers has instead reached 3.9 million , marking a 23 per cent increase over the past year, with more than half living in protracted displacement, placing growing pressure on already overstretched host communities and national systems. More than 2.2 million refugees are living in protracted situations, representing 58 per cent of the refugee population, with one-third in exile for over a decade. Women and children continue to bear the brunt of displacement, representing 80 per cent of refugees and asylum-seekers. Nearly 751,000 refugees and asylum-seekers are identified with specific protection needs, including children at risk, w